A Short Break

You may have noticed that I have not posted since Monday <cheeks burning with shame> I am terribly sorry and I hope to be making it up to you- soon....  :) I am taking a short break to evaluate my blog (and my family's blog) and to do some work on it.  I need some time to organize my thoughts and goals.  Life is just beginning to get back to normal (by the grace of God) or at least as normal as anything can be around here :) Anyway... hopefully my *distracted* posts are about to come to an end!  Just bear with me for a short break while I get my *stuff* together!

Father's Day

Yes, I know... Father's Day was yesterday- I don't think my dad cares if I gush about him today instead :) First of all, I am a Daddy's Girl. I am the firstborn of the children, Momma calls me David Jr. I sing, I play guitar- just like Daddy. I'm always looking for new ideas- just like Daddy. I'm always thinking- just like Daddy. Now I could go on and on but I won't bore you with that today. :) Just know that I have an appreciation and love for my father that I'm not sure you would understand unless you are another Daddy's Girl. :D I am blessed with a father who is always encouraging me to walk in the truth, on the narrow path. He always has a scripture quotation that applies to my problem (or attitude). He is the most humble person I know. He is honorable- I am so blessed to watch him as he paves a way to for me and my brothers and sisters to follow. Everyone loves my daddy, he certainly has the favor of God and man. Daddy, your legacy is amazing... my heart is so full as I am writing this- maybe that is why I cannot write very much- I can't figure out how to voice you. Thank you for everything you have done and will do for me. Thank you for your example of how you honor your own parents, of how generous you are, of the way you treat people, of how you worship, of your humility... I can't tell you how glad I am that God gave you to me- or rather me to you. :) I love you, Daddy! I hope that this makes sense. :) Things are still a bit up in the air at home so if I seem distracted... what was I saying? :P Anyway I figured that I would leave you all with a photo. Proof that I've been a Daddy's Girl from an early age. (I know I know, I'm pathetic but I had to paint over it :) ) Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Colors- What Season are You?

So one of the talks that I heard last weekend that really stuck out to me was about color!  I was fascinated- having never even thought about it before (I knew that certain colors looked better on me than others but I didn't know that it was a "science" of sorts!

I found myself listening to the talk and getting epiphany after epiphany- that's my problem!  That's why I have so many clothes but nothing to wear! Thats why certain outfits just drive me crazy but I can't really tell you why.  That's why I drive my mom nuts when she is shopping for me.  :)

Want to know more about this amazing discovery?  Then let us begin.

Based on our skin tones, everybody fits into 4 different categories (or "seasons"):

 

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Each season has about 30 base colors to choose from.

We all have either yellow, golden, or blue undertones in our skin.  If we have "warmer" skin (yellow or gold) that would make us a warmer season- Spring or Autumn.  But if we have "cooler" skin (blue) that would make us a cooler season- Winter or Summer.

Want to determine what season you are before we go on?  Ok... click here,  here, or here.  (you don't have to click on all of them but it may help :) ) Okay, have you determined your season?  Most people at the conference were Springs or Winters- a few Autumns and Summers... I am a Winter.  I have always looked good in a bright red- it's always been my color- even at age seven.  :) But now you are probably wondering- "Okaaaay... I've determines my season- what colors can I wear?"

Unfortunately I will have to give you an external link to see because I don't want to infringe on any copyright laws by putting others people's color charts on my site...  I found a great page here that should help you out.

Another fun thing that you may want to consider doing is color draping.  Try different colors of solid fabrics- drape them around your neck and shoulders and look at your face.  What does that color do for your face?  Does it make if green?  does it make it pale?  Does it make it glow?  That's the effect we are going for.

Our goal is to make our face the focal point of ourselves.  We want people to see our faces- our eyes and our smile- so that they can see the love of Jesus bubbling up within us.  So that they will not be distracted by the color of our clothes because they blend so well with our bodies that they will only see our beautiful countenance and wonder, "What do they have?"   By drawing the attention to the face it paves the way for the revealing of the "gentle and quiet spirit" that is precious in the sight of God.  (1 Peter 3:3-4)

 

Anyway... I hope you enjoyed this- I hope I didn't ramble too much...  things are still pretty crazy at our house and my brain and I still have some catching up to do with each other.  :)

 

 

Image: prozac1 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net



My Weekend

Aaaaahhhhh.... it's good to be home.   :)

Some of you know where I went this past weekend but I'll be happy to fill in the blanks for the rest of ya'll.  I went to South Georgia with my family to a friends' farm for a "Style Show" for the ladies and a "Roughin' It" camp out for the guys.

During the "Style Show" we talked about how to find ways of looking becoming to our father or husbands and taking good care of our bodies... we talked about what our "season" is (what colors look good on us) styles, how to put wardrobes together, makeup, hair, poise and posture...  I was in my element!   :)

I am planning on posting deeper into the subjects as they were very interesting and encouraging to me... especially look for a post abut "seasons"!

Thank you, M. Family, for offering up your home, your barn-your whole farm for the purpose of this delightful weekend- I was encouraged and planning to go through my closet soon :)

 

I'll post more soon, but things are a little up in the air at our house right now :

(Getting back to what we call "normal")

This is Not Our Home

When I tell people that I am the eldest of 9 children they usually (after they recover their jaws) ask a few typical questions.  One of my favorites that always makes me laugh is,

"So, ya'll live in a big house?"

Ha ha ha ha ha!

We live in an 1800 square foot home.  We moved in almost 6 years ago when there were only 6 of us children- we had previously been living in a 2400 square foot home up in the mid west but because we wanted to be closer to my grandmother who had cancer at the time (more on that later) we moved and bought this house to live in *temporarily* until we could find what we really wanted.  Well, the market was at it's height in '05 (when we bought the house) and ever since it has been plummeting.  Thus, here we are, 11 people in an 1800 square foot house, 1 car garage, 1/3 of an acre.

The Lord truly had His hand on us when we bought this house.  The way it is laid out is perfect for us...  The space was used very efficiently in the architecture.  We have four bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.  Learning how much (or rather how little) we should keep and how to efficiently store it all has been an adventure.

We have been trying to be faithful.  It's so hard when the world is pressing my father to walk away and go find a larger house. That would be so easy.  We could be in a nice house twice the size on at least three times the land in no time!  But we don't believe that is what God has for us.  My daddy believes that because he agreed to pay on this house, that is what he is going to do- leave the rest up to God.  We are all behind Daddy, we do our best to make this sweet little home as wonderful a place and refuge for our family as we can- and the Lord has been blessing our efforts.

Don't get me wrong- it is work. Me and Momma have become champions at Tetris (on a larger scale of course :) ) but it takes a lot of thought and time to figure out how to fit 11 people's clothes into 5 closets or any other conundrum that likes to rear it's ugly head.

But even if He wasn't blessing our efforts (it's up to Him- He doesn't have to!) I was comforted the other night by the words of Jesus, "In my Father's house there are many rooms, if that were not so I would have told you..."  (emphasis added) In this home on earth we only have 4 bedrooms, but in my Father's house there are many rooms.

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, Jesus Christ."

Philippians 3:20

 

Theodore Roosevelt wrote:

"I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph."

This world is not our home.  Thank goodness for that!  In this world we will have tribulation.  We are supposed to work hard, to suffer for the gospel's sake.  I pray that the people on the outside of our life looking in are saying, "There is something different about them- they aren't choosing to be let off the easy way..."  When we get to that home in glory I believe God will say to my Daddy, "Well done good and faithful slave, because you were faithful in the little things, I will put you over greater things. Enter into the joy of your master."

No matter what situation you are in- sometimes life can be discouraging.  It is hard.  But we are not called to a life of ease.  Be encouraged- our citizenship is in heaven, in my Father's house there are many rooms, in this world you will have tribulation, but take courage- He has overcome the world. Remembering those sweet words,"Well done, good and faithful slave..." are well worth fighting, working, and persevering for.  Remembering that I will get a room in my Father's house- remembering my citizenship in heaven-that this world is not my home... it is only temporary.

Thank God!

 

"So how do you do it?"  may be your question now.

Well, I am going to begin a series next week on how our large family works: the ins, the outs, the loopty loops and so on.  Questions like:

"How are your bedrooms set up?"

"Do you have a TV?"

"How do you do your schooling?"

"How do you keep up with all the laundry?"

will be answered in the next several weeks!

Please send me some questions and I would love to answer them in the series!

amy@aheartsurrendered.com

A Reminder On You Desktop

The Bible says, "The heavens are telling the glory of God, their expanse declares the work of His hands..."

Wow... to think that the One who made that loves me!

 

I just thought that this was an excellent reminder of how great our God is...

 

Wow... if you have never seen Louie Giglio's Indescribable and How Great is Our God you MUST watch them!  Louie Giglio takes you on an astronomical adventure through photo after photo from the Hubble Space telescope (same telescope that took the above photos) revealing the majesties and the wonders of God.  I am dying to tell you the end of both DVD's because it is so amazing- but I feel that you must watch it... I don't want to ruin it for you :)

My original intention of this post was to tell you about how you can get photos like the above as your desktop wall paper here .  A constant reminder of how great your God is- and yet He loves you and me.

Right now we have the Sombrero Galaxy as our desktop  :)

 

Cute Photo of Peter

I took this photo with our new phone this afternoon....  Peter seems to enjoy being higher than everybody else!  :-D

James is 7!

Sorry that I haven't posted in a few days...

We were working on a special project (photos soon!) and the day before yesterday was my little brother James' birthday!  So to make up for it I've got lot's of photos from the day before yesterday for you gazing enjoyment :)

At our house, birthdays are a pretty big thing, though we don't generally do parties (per say) but we do invite a family or two (of the B-Day person's choice) over for dinner.  James got to plan his menu for the whole day and pretty much call the shots for the activities of the day.  :)

His Menu:

Breakfast- Crepes with strawberries on top

Lunch- ? He never decided on this one- he kept saying he wanted to go to Target for popcorn and slushies for lunch and would change his mind.... again....

Dinner- Pizza

 

After crepes for breakfast, Daddy, the boys, Emma, Abigail, and myself all hopped into the van to go to our grandparents ranch to ride 4- wheelers and try out James' new BB gun.  Everyone else stayed home and continued preparations for company later that night.

The birthday boy with his awesome new glasses and BB gun.

Daddy, Emma, and JD with the cardboard target on the right.  :)

John-David takes a "shot" at it (ha ha ha!  I'm so funny :D )

Grandma and Abigail stayed in the shade.  They were smart.

Sorry, no photos of the 4-wheeler riding...  that's because I was on it :)

Happy Birthday, James!

You are such a sweetheart (when you want to be :) ) and I am so excited to watch you grow into a young man.  Continue to listen as we read the Bible at night- you do it so well... Don't ever forget what Jesus did for you- purpose to live you life for Him!